The 1.8m tall cattle drover recently snapped up a 19sq m apartment in Balmain's Star Hotel for her city pied a terre.

But having lived in a caravan while running cattle on her Duckmaloi farm, she is not daunted by lack of space so long as what is outside is appealing.

"There was no bathroom, no privacy, a paddock for a loo but I had all I needed at the time so this seems a luxury really," Ms Clark-Ferraino said.

"I am in love with the fully tiled bathroom, with no slugs, bugs, frogs or flies!"

Her unit, in Mort St, Balmain, is one of 10 inside the 19th century pub, located near Mort's Dock and once known as the "second office" of the Ship Painters and Dockers Union.

She bought it for $328,000 in July, ending an eight-year search to find the perfect home while working with refugees for the Immigration Department in the city. The sale is the third-lowest residential price recorded in Balmain this year, according to RP Data.

"I usually live in an old farmhouse which I share with bats and snakes and my beloved animals so I wanted simplicity and fewer day-to-day chores in the city where I travel to work and stay during the week," Ms Clark-Ferraino said.

Despite measuring 19sq m inside, the additional 14sq m of balcony was a major drawcard, providing views over the city and enough room for a future pet. "It was very hard to find a studio unit in a nice area that would allow me to have a pet. It's quite rare from that point of view," Ms Clark-Ferraino said. "I love walking out on to the balcony into an oasis of green. I like the breeze that blows through."

Cobden & Hayson agent Ada Mastronardo said the home was one of the smallest sold on the peninsula this year.

"It's pretty much the smallest," Ms Mastronardo said. "I sold a lock-up garage of 22sq m for $84,000 so this unit is smaller than the garage."

She said about 45 groups attended the first inspection.

"We allowed a certain number of people in at one time but that balcony really helped - it showed buyers how many people could fit in," she said.

Ms Mastronardo introduced the buyer to Maddie & Me stylist Melissa Rice, embarking on a revamp to suit the small space.

"Melissa ... had tape measures out and she said, 'this has good bones'," Ms Clark- Ferraino said. "I thought, 'if you do something, do it well'.

"It's very important in a small space to be aesthetically charmed and to walk in and feel it's done well."

Mrs Rice created distinct "rooms", including a lounge, kitchen and dining area, as well as sourcing furniture to double as storage space.

"A lot of people tend to put furniture around the outside but it can make it really fraternity house," she said. "If you divide the surfaces, they are still open-plan but with nothing too bulky - just treat it like it's a normal room."

The TV is inside a false wall to hide cords, a custom-made couch serves as a fold-out bed and they found a solution for the loft-style bed.

"The little screen effect is marvellous," Ms Clark-Ferraino said. "The ladder comes out and I climb up."